People inevitably think of themselves as Sardinian first and Italian second (or sometimes even third, after European). A book written once about Sardinia was entitled The Unconquered Island, and it's true. Invaded and exploited it has been, yes, but not conquered.

Sardinia - Dana Facaros & Michael Pauls, Cadogan Guide (2003)

Sardinians as a race are prone to a very non latin, almost celtic wistfulness and melancholy.

Sardinia - Dana Facaros & Michael Pauls, Cadogan Guide (2003)

In part, the Sardinian outlook on political matters is a feature of their heritage of medieval independence. Even to peasants and herdsmen, the close, convivial world of the giudicati had great advantages over the more exploitative rule of Pisans, Genoese, Aragonese and Spaniards, and the Sardinians never forgot that they had once been in charge of their own destinies. The long wars for independence of Mariano IV and Eleonora of Arborea against Aragon created a sense of nationhood that never entirely disappeared, even though the Sardinians lost.

Sardinia - Dana Facaros & Michael Pauls, Cadogan Guide (2003)

The Sards themselves are not a talkative race (unless you get them going on politics or some other subject dear to their hearts). Nor are they theatrical or gregarious like other italians, but they look frankly in the eye and treat you as a human being first before they judge you as anything else. D.H. Lawrence wondered at the boldness of women. You will probably never meet an obsequious Sard.

Sardinia - Dana Facaros & Michael Pauls, Cadogan Guide (2003)

The Sardinians are a sturdy race, but at the same time alert, lively, and brave, even to rashness ; firm friends but implacable enemies; quick of understanding, of vivacious imagination and passionately fond of poetry, zealous in maintaining their rights and liberty, but loyal and fond of their King and Country.

John Smith - A System of Modern Geography: Or, the Natural and Political History of the Present State of the World, Volume 2 - Sherwood Neely and Jones, 1811